Classical Conversations ~ Let’s Talk about Challenge A

We are wrapping up our fourth year with Classical Conversations. Can it possibly have been that long since we took the plunge?

I wrote a detailed post about Classical Conversations a short while into our third year, and not much has changed. All three boys are in the morning Foundations classes for the fourth year while Lola hangs out in the nursery. This is Levi’s second year in the afternoon Essentials class and Luke’s first. Leif attends an afternoon play camp and then an early elementary choir class. (Levi and Luke attend beginning choir after Essentials.) Levi, Luke, and I are all working toward becoming Memory Masters again this year (Cycle 2).

But next year opens a whole new chapter. Challenge.

Levi will be enrolled in the full-day Challenge A class for 7th grade, with a full plate of assignments for his week at home.

The Classical Conversations Challenge levels include 6 “seminars”: Grammar, Exposition and Composition, Debate, Research, Rhetoric, and Logic. Students complete work at home and come prepared to present and discuss during class one day each week for 30 weeks.

This is going to be a tremendous transition for Levi. Half of me is excited for the new opportunity and half is filled with trepidation. It is fairly easy for me to pinpoint what will come easily and what will be a struggle. Time will tell if I’m correct.

I’ve spent some time thinking over the ways in which he is prepared, and where we might be able to close the gap during the next few months.

:: Grammar—“Latin A” using Henle First Year Latin

We’ve been progressing slowly with Latin for the past 4 years using Prima Latina, Song School Latin, Latina Christiana, and First Form Latin. I think Levi will be well-prepared for a strong start in Henle Latin if we can finish up First Form Latin in the next few months.

The strong grammar foundation he has received in Essentials will be helpful as well.

:: Exposition and Composition—Literature, Discussion, & Persuasive Writing

Challenge now uses The Lost Tools of Writing, and I’m excited that Levi has the opportunity to use this program. I have the teacher’s manual and the DVDs. Now I just need to find some time to read and watch. I did attend a Lost Tools of Writing workshop a year ago, so I’m hoping that gives me a little head start. Levi has been writing with IEW’s history-themed writing books for the past two years in Essentials, but prescribed writing is definitely a struggle (he enjoys free-writing on his own topics). He has two big writing assignments coming up at the end of this school year—a research paper and a persuasive essay. I’m praying for a strong finish.

I think Levi has previously read all of the literature selections, and both of us will re-read them over the summer. It should take him a day or so, and me all summer long. [sigh]

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
• The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli
• A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 by Joan W. Blos
• Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
• The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

 

:: Debate—Geography

Levi has had a lot of geography exposure through CC Foundations, but drawing the entire world from memory is going to be a huge challenge! I hope to have him regularly draw maps through the summer, and he’ll be spending quite a bit of time on the geography quizzes at Sheppard Software. I’ve purchased the recommended Compact Atlas of the World to get him started.

::  Research—Natural Science

The first semester involves researching an assigned topic each week. The students record their research, illustrate or make a model of their findings, and present the results in class during the seminar. If I understand correctly, the students are able to use the IEW model for writing these papers. Levi and I might try a practice run or two with our own science topics over the summer.

The second semester involves drawing, labeling, and memorizing nine body systems. I have the biology worksheets used in class, so we will probably just browse the book so that we can familiarize ourselves with the general idea. The Foundations classes will be memorizing human body systems during the first half of the year (and Levi went through that cycle a couple years ago).

::  Rhetoric—Clear Reasoning

The first semester (I believe) uses the book It Couldn't Just Happen: Knowing the Truth About God's Awesome Creation, which I’ve purchased and will pre-read. Students are assigned weekly reading, outlining, and summarizing, and also memorize a series of catechism-style questions.

During the second semester, students work through The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning. Levi attended a 3-day logic camp (using the same book) last summer, has read the book, and has watched the DVD. He enjoyed it all, and I think he’ll be glad to go through it in-depth.

[Edited to add] This is a fantastically fun illustrated book of fallacies, online for free, that complements The Fallacy Detective. I’ll have Levi read through it a few times.

::  Logic—Mathematics

Levi has been using Teaching Textbooks, but the recommended text for Challenge A is Saxon Math 8/7. Since Levi has just finished Teaching Textbooks 6 and it is not necessarily a rigorous program, I’ve purchased Saxon 7/6 with the Teaching Tapes (recommended by Leigh Bortins). Levi will work through 7/6 over the next five months. He won’t finish it (I don’t expect that he will complete a lesson daily over the summer), but I’m hoping it makes the transition to Saxon 8/7 a little easier.

 

This Challenge program will be a new experience for us, so I’ll keep you posted as we go through our year!

(Nothing will change for Luke and Leif, though Lola may spend our community day off-campus with my mom or sister. She doesn’t turn four until the first of October, and I’d like to wait another year before enrolling her in Foundations.)

Have you had a child go through Challenge A? Would you like to share your experience or tips that might be helpful?

[Edited to add] The recent post, What’s it like to be a Challenge parent?, at Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood is a great resource and encouragement. Check it out!